Courts Appoint Amicus Curiae in Contempt Case Hearing Involving Hasina

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 today appointed amicus curiae over hearing on a contempt of court allegation brought against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leader Shakil Akand Bulbul. "The three-member (ICT) led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder passed the order, appointing senior jurist AY Moshiuzzaman amicus curiae in the case. It also appointed Advocate Aminul Gani Tipu state defence counsel," said prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim. The court also adjourned the hearing till June 25. "As both accused remained absent in spite of publishing notice in newspapers for their appearance, the court today appointed an amicus curiae for the sake of transparency of the trial," Tamim added. The prosecution filed the complaint against the two over the former premier's telephonic conversation, where she was heard saying she has got license to kill 227 people already. The tribunal, accepting the complaint, asked the two to submit their explanations on May 15.

As they failed to submit their explanations, the tribunal asked them to appear on May 25. But as they refrained from appearing on that day too, it ordered to publish a notice on two national dailies, asking Sheikh Hasina and Shakil Akand Bulbul to appear before it on June 3. The notices were published on May 26 in daily Jugantor and daily New Age, summoning the former premier and Bulbul to give explanations over a contempt of court application brought against them by the prosecution of the tribunal.